This invention relates to a pickup assembly for electrical stringed instruments, and more particularly, to a pickup assembly having a plurality of slidable magnetic pole pieces disposed within corresponding slotted coils housed in the body of the instrument, the outer ends of the pole pieces functioning as contact points with the strings such that the magnetic pole pieces can be individually moved within the slots to read strings at different spectrums.
In playing of electrical stringed instruments it is highly advantageous that the player be able to adjust the point at which electrical contact is made with each string being played so as to achieve optimal tone reproduction. This is especially important in the playing of the electric guitar, as the player needs to be able to fine-tune the instrument so as to read the strings at different positions along their lengths. With most conventional pickup assemblies, however, the entire assembly is movably disposed within the body of the instrument, often with a bulky and clumsy sliding mechanisn for moving it up or down in the direction of the strings. Also, conventional pickup assemblies usually have wire leads which crimp and break after extended playing and movement of the assembly. Most importantly, the individual pole pieces of such assemblies remain stationary relative to each other as the entire assembly is moved, thereby limiting each pole piece to a reading of the same string length as its neighbors, and greatly restricting the tonal range of the instrument.